Uncovered: New Mexico's Farmworkers

Access to Workers' Compensation for New Mexico's Farmworkers-Advocate for changes to the NM Workers' Compensation Act to include farmworkers in mandatory coverage. The purpose of the Workers' Compensation Act is "to provide a humanitarian and economical system of compensation for injured workmen". Workers' compensation insurance provides medical and indemnity benefits to workers who are injured on the job. When an employee is injured in New Mexico, these benefits help to rehabilitate the employee while also allowing them to receive income for the time they are out of work. Almost all employers in New Mexico are required to purchase Workers' Compensation insurance. However, since it was enacted in 1917 the Act has excluded employers of farm and ranch workers from the mandatory purchase of workers' compensation insurance. The Center is working toward getting farm and ranch workers mandatory coverage by Workers' Compensation.